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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Memorable Sandy

Dear Sandy!


NICE TO SEE YOU GO!

The storm of the year has come and gone and good riddance to it.  Right now it's remains are heading out toward the Atlantic Provinces and then onward back to the North Atlantic.  The storm didn't have the same impact on S. Ontario that it left on the American states but it was a storm like I can't ever remember experiencing or seeing in my many years.  I felt anxious while anticipating its arrival, but my anxiety was pretty much for nothing.  I think the media attention to it's size and impact caused me to feel this anxiety.  

We were hit with really high winds for the most part which continued from the early evening right through the night time.  The trees were just a rockin' when I got out of my bed to see what was going on out there.  There are a lot fewer leaves on most of the trees and the leaves that were on the ground have scattered everywhere.  Who knows how far they travelled.  Our power went out about 10:30 pm and not knowing what to do with myself I went to bed, only to have the power return about 20 minutes later, so got up to watch more of the coverage of the storm in the U.S.  So much damage to New York and New Jersey and so much very costly cleanup  to be done before the area looks even remotely normal.  Praying for all who lost family and friends as a result of the storm.  Toronto experienced one death as a result of the wind loosening a sign and part of it falling on a woman walking, causing head injuries. 



Picture of tree down in friend's driveway







 The big storm has moved on but the residual showers linger.  Today was another gray day and I enjoyed my stay indoors for most of the day, working on a cross stitch project.... my favourite hobby. 

I am almost finished this project and I'll post pics when it is completed.  :)

Stoptober is almost finished, just one more day to go.  I've really kept on top of it and I'm pleased with the results. 

How did everyone fare during the storm?

Monday, October 22, 2012

Stoptober Summary to today

Well I don't really have a full summary.  I have been very conscious of every bit of spending, although there was one day where emotions took over and spending was just a bit unplanned.    I haven't calculated but I know I've had more no-spend days than spend.  Nine days left in the month of Stoptober and I don't anticipate any unplanned spending those days.  But you never know what might come up.  Life has a way of happening when you are making other plans.  :)

Slowing Down!

Last week I experienced some weird, mixed feelings.  Last week was the first full week of being retired and looking back I think I was experiencing depression, and felt what was a mild mourning for the end of the work.  By the week-end I was over this feeling.... LOL!... and realized I could give up the feeling of depression and the need that I was still feeling to go, go, go, and hurry, hurry, hurry.  I was in a fast paced business and that was what I did to stay on top of the work.  I hurried and I felt pressure to do, to do more, to do even more. 

The inviting path ahead
I don't have to do that anymore.  My life has slowed down and the expectations aren't there anymore.  Neither is the money but that's another story.  Today I realized that I was starting to live a calmer day; nothing was really pressing at all today.  This day was so beautiful, almost like summer but not quite.  Too nice to spend indoors.  It was a wonderful day to go for a leisurely stroll, and it was a conscious decision to stroll and not hurry along to get the walk over with.  That's what I've done in the past.  It was awesome to be out there just enjoying nature.

Still lots of colourful trees and shrubs

Some trees are completely bare

A group of friends enjoying a game of bocce

A lovely day overall! 

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Sounds of The Morning

I'm retired.  :)  I feel myself slowing down, being more deliberate, being mindful of the moment. 

What are the sounds around me this morning?

  • traffic on the nearby busy street
  • workers pounding nails as they re-roof a home
  • talk show on the radio
  • Allie asking for a treat
  • beeps of a van backing up in the parking lot
So now I know what the sounds are that I've missed when I have been at work.   Nothing out of the ordinary, just the noises and sounds of people going about their lives. 

The Week That Got Away..........

Last post on the 7th, eight days ago.  Honestly, the week just somehow wandered away from me.  How did that happen?  With the last day of work on Wed, then b.d. stuff, and catching a cold, the days just blended together.  More on the above in the days to come. 

Are days just 24 hours?  Sometimes they feel so much longer, sometimes just so short.  From here on in, the days are mine to enjoy as I choose. 

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Stoptober 7th

Another no spend day.  I fought the urge all day today to go out and buy a coffee, buy a chocolate bar, buy a dinner from a take out place, and I resisted the urge totally and completely (well at least until this point which is 7:15 p.m. as I write this). 

The rain has started so I'm staying in for the night.  Dinner was leftovers from the fridge and freezer.  I wished I'd remembered to take a pic before I ate it all.  I sauteed some green pepper and mushrooms in a little butter, then mixed in a bit of turkey leg that I found at the back of the freezer.  Languishing at the back on a rack in the refridge was a container of chicken fried rice from last week end so mixed that in with the "red" sweet & sour sauce sitting beside it.  Combined all of it and together with a glass of red wine, it filled me quite nicely.  I DO. NOT. LIKE. TO. WASTE. FOOD. at all.  It hurts to have to toss food.  I am tossing hard earned dollars.  It's easy to toss food when too much has been purchased, but vigilance by doing a stock taking of the fridge, the freezer,  the pantry, the dry storage cupboard in kitchen should avoid any need to garbage anything by first not overbuying.  But being human and not always vigilant, some stuff sometimes does get the heave ho.  Ugh!  Hurts to see it go. 

I am 3 days from retirement; vigilance will be enforced.... by me, who else.  LOL!  Limited income will do that.  I blame lack of vigilance on fatigue, little motivation or ???....... any number of reasons.

I have cleaned out the refridge today and will compile a list to restock on Thursday.  Like everywhere, America, Britain, and so on, Canada is experiencing rising prices for food.  I have already cut down on the amount of meat I buy. 

No spend this Stoptober 7th.  Yay!!!!!

Stoptober 6th

Was a wonderful day today.  Read some of my favourite blogs taking up most of the morning, did a tidy up, then went for a nap.  I felt blissfully refreshed after I woke.  Did all the "me" things, shower, etc. to get ready to join family for dinner.  DSIL's mother came from a town a distance away so all went to a lovely restaurant. 

An unexpected spend today.  I cleared my debt at the library.... $1.25.  I don't remember keeping a movie a day longer.  $1.00 for that and $0.25 for one book which I don't recall hanging onto for an additional day.  Unexpected spending but not over the top.  Could be worse. 


Saturday, October 6, 2012

Stoptober 5th

Friday, the end of the work week for me.  I left work at 5:45 instead of the usual 7:15 pm.  It is our opportunity to celebrate the Thanksgiving week-end in Canada and many of the students departed either late on Thursday or early Friday for their homes to spend the long week-end with their families.  The dining hall was almost deserted at 5:30 pm and the supervisor asked if I would be interested in leaving early.  For two reasons:  1)  the Company would save on labour costs, and 2)  there wasn't anything to do. 

I jumped at the opportunity to leave before my time ended as I was really tired yesterday, just an accumulation of fatigue from the week.  Home I went, feet elevated when I arrived and into a book until I couldn't keep my eyes open at 10 p.m.

Happy to report that Stop 5th was a no-spend day.  Hurray!  Allowable spending was for car insurance and condo insurance. 

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Stoptober 4th

Today was an allowable spending day.  My gas tank was almost empty.  I actually had planned to fill it yesterday but on the way home I heard that the price of gas was dropping by 4 cents a litre, so that made me change my plan and I filled up on the way home tonight. 

The tank took 34.2 litres at $1.258/per litre for a total of $43.03 which includes HST of $4.95.  I bought the gas at Canadian Tire so with redeeming  a coupon got 60 cents back in CT bonus money.  I will be especially interested to see how long this tank will last.  There are 4 more must drive days to work, then will be only occasional driving around town. 


I have resisted spending money on my favourite Hershey's Twizzlers the past two nights on the drive home from work.  I wanted/needed/wanted to have that licorice soooooooo badly.  Nope, nope, nope!!!  No spend month!! 


I love them.  They are addicting.  Eat one and you want to eat the whole package.  I wanted them BUT I didn't need them.  Resisted!  Craving overcome.  Yay me!!!

Tired tonight, feel like doing nothing more than putting the tired aching feet up and relaxing.

Stoptober 2nd & 3rd

Missed blogging yesterday, so two days to report today

Stoptober 2nd - no spend day
Stoptober 3rd - no spend day

Today will be an allowable spend day as I need to top up the gas tank.

Will post later with amount spent.  :)

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Stoptober 2nd

Day 2 of the Stoptober challenge was a no spend day.  No money out of pocket nor any allowable expenses.  Patting myself on the back for resisting, on the drive home from work, stopping for a junk food snack. 



Yay me! 

Stoptober... Stop Spending in October

I have joined the Stoptober Challenge presented by this blogger in the UK

http://frugalincornwall.blogspot.ca/

She has thrown out the challenge to stop spending in October and it has come at an appropriate time for me as I will go into full out, full blown frugality.  I love the challenge and I look forward to only necessary spending.  I'll check in daily to update; accountability goes a long way to keep on the frugality path. 



Stoptober 1st - condo fee for October, otherwise no spend day. 

Retirement

I made the decision last week to leave my job which is doing in my feet.  At the end of every day the feet hurt so much.  No amount of soaking, putting them up, massaging them relieves the pain and discomfort.  I gave notice last week and my last day will be Wednesday, October 10th.  Looking forward to the end of employment and starting another chapter in life.  :)